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November 1, 2011

The Anniversary of the Epic Tweet that Changed Things

One year. It's been one year.

One year ago today, I was gearing up for NaNoWriMo 2010. I'd never before considered writing a novel. I was an essayist. A blogger. I was going to become the Next Great Mom Blogger, or something like that. Making my fans laugh when they read about the antics of my child and husband. Making them cry when appropriate. Fulfilling lives with my super-awesome advice. Supporting myself and my family through ad sales and book deals and all that whatnot.

Yeah, so the book? It wasn't supposed to happen. But NaNoWriMo sounded fun, and I was in need of some discipline, so having a goal of 1500 words per day sounded like a good idea. And, I figured, why the hell not? As long as it didn't interfere with all my Other Big Plans.

One year. It's been one year.

And...the mom blogger thing didn't work out. It turns out I have no clue how to market or advertise, and I probably would have given terrible advice anyway.

But what did happen?

Well, first I tried to decide what to write about. Write what you know was the advice floating in my head in the first day or two. So what did I know about? I knew about being a teenage girl xx years ago. I knew about having a baby. I knew about computer software. None of that sounded too appealing.

And then Charles, my husband, tweeted the two magic words of the Epic Tweet that Changed Things. Zombie Cows.

Note my husband's picture - isn't he cute?

They made me laugh, the zombie cows that appeared in my head when I read that tweet. They made me remember how much I love to be scared. They made me think, Ok, I don't have to take myself quite so seriously, do I?

And so I started to write. And write. And write and write and write.

Now, it's been a year. I've got a whole book written, and I'm wrapping up my latest round of edits this week (I hope). I've written about a really powerful girl, and two not-so-powerful characters who I struggle to like. And I've written some bad guys who kind of scare me. Seriously, they show up in my nightmares.

So...did the Epic Tweet that Changed Things...change things?

I mean, I still have my day job, and I'm not leaving it anytime soon. I am still a mom, still a wife, still a daughter and a sister and a friend.

But still. Things have changed. There's always something to do, something to write or edit or consider. Charles is sort of, secretly impressed (I think). I own a Louisville Slugger of my very own! And I have a book of my own that I wrote! Yikes!

So, I hope you forgive me if I'm in a bit of a celebratory mood. Maybe outwardly nothing has changed, but in my mind? Totally different. I'm happier. I have goals. I have a plan.